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If the SOC and the OVC merged and included Ironton and Portsmouth? Think of the basketball games that could have produced in league play this year? When the state budget cuts come down the pike, we may need to rethink things in southern ohio. Even if you dont include Ironton and Portsmouth, a merger would work well. How about a new SVC?

I agree that some things may need to have to change for some schools because of budget cuts and some schools may want or need to change conferences. I am not sure if the SOCII would need or want to merge with another conference. SOCII schools already play 14 league games and the schools pick their 6 non league games based on their school size and team expectations. For example, Burg played non-conference games with Ironton, Portsmouth, Fairland, Chesapeake, Jackson and Green. South Webster played non-conference games against Portsmouth, East, Clay, Green and Notre Dame. Basically I feel that a merger would create more travel for SOCII schools and not allow them to play the teams they need/want to play to get ready for the tournament.

I total agree with 4th n Goal. The SOC Div. 2 is a great league the way it is. Last year when Portsmouth & So. Gallia wanted to join, I was for it at first but the more I thought about, the less I liked it. South Webster would not be as good if we were not in the most competitive league in Southern Ohio. I heard someone say it this way recently. Webster and Burg have a love/hate relationship. We really battle it out during the season but come tournament time, We root for Burg. And really any other SOC 2 school because Webster drops down to DIV 4. That's just my opinion

Also some former members of the SOC:

Chesapeake 1948-1954
Coal Grove (Dawson Bryant) 1950-1952
Ironton St. Joe 1982-1989
Piketon 1959-1962
South Point 1948-1951

SOC Is fine the way it is.

I don't see a reason to add anyone to the SVC either. The only way you could expand is if Waverly wanted to leave the SOC(why would they?) and if Vinton County wanted to leave the TVC. Then you'd split it into big school-small school divisions.

I would ather stay in the league we are in myself,,,nothuing against the soc,,I still go watch and support them, but I am one that is glad they will not let us in

danicalifornia wrote:I don't see a reason to add anyone to the SVC either. The only way you could expand is if Waverly wanted to leave the SOC(why would they?) and if Vinton County wanted to leave the TVC. Then you'd split it into big school-small school divisions.

Invite, Circleville Waverly chillicothe McClain and Vinton to join Unioto Westfall and .

Lower division ZT, Piketon, Paint Valley, SE, Huntington, Adena, and Invite Wellston

I liked the idea that was floated around last year about seeing if Chillicothe, Ironton, Gallia Academy, Portsmouth and Jackson would come together and form a seperate division of the SOC.

Why did Piketon leave the SOC?

I don't know why Piketon left the SOC. I would suspect maybe that is when the SVC started? Same with the Lawrence county teams, maybe they left when OVC started. Maybe someone from those areas know.

I kind of figured Lawrence Co schools left when the OVC started up. Less travel and all.
Just seems Piketon would be closer to most SOC schools than they are SVC (with the exception of Huntington and maybe Southeastern).

Piketon is 1 of 2 teams in the SVC that are the original founding members of the league, along with Paint Valley. The SVC was formed in 1962 with Piketon, PV, Laurelville and Logan Elm. The rest of the Ross County League followed suit and around 1970's the league was set as it is now.

The SVC is competitive in boys sports with basketball being somewhat dominated by Southeastern with 17 titles, but after that ZT, Adena, Piketon and Westfall are around 4 to 7 titles each.

Football, Westfall has I believe 13 titles, with Piketon and PV tied for 2nd with 9 each, ZT with 6 or 7 and Adena as well around that number and Unioto close behind them.

Baseball is very competitive in the SVC with Unioto, Adena and Zane Trace all having quite a few titles. Paint Valley has a state Championship as well.

I heard somewhere that Wheelersburg has won 28 boys basketball titles. I know in football as well they dominate with most of the titles. Same in baseball.

Why in the world would Piketon want back into a league just to struggle to stay in the middle of the pack with the Valleys, Waverlys, Minfords and West?

Piketon has placed 2nd in the league in football in the last 4 years. Has won the league title in basketball 3 times since 04'. The baseball team is getting better after struggling for several years.

As for the mileage, Piketon to Burg is 33 miles, to Lucasville is 14 miles, Portsmouth West 25 miles, Northwest 21 miles, Minford 23 miles, Oak Hill 36 miles and South Webster 35 miles. This average out to 26.5 miles and averages 37 minutes per route.

Piketon to Westfall 50 miles, Southeastern 24 miles, Adena 38 miles, ZT 28 miles, PV 29 miles, Huntington 16 miles, and Unioto 26 miles. This averages out to 30 miles per and 39 minutes per route.

No big difference in mileage or time! Piketon isnt going anywhere, they are a great fit in the SVC.

Thanks for the info Eagle73. I had always assumed the SVC started as a Ross County league.

I believe Southeastern was the last to join in 1975, so the legue hasnt changed at all for 36 years. I dont think you can find too many leagues around here that can say that and they are competitive in all sports.

eccedomusscientiae wrote:I liked the idea that was floated around last year about seeing if Chillicothe, Ironton, Gallia Academy, Portsmouth and Jackson would come together and form a seperate division of the SOC.

None of which are currently in the SOC. So why does the SOC need to create a division for them? Why can't they create their own league?

no merger, that would be too many teams, just get a ovc/ soc 2 challenge going, kind of like the big 10/acc challenge

ches vs burg
fairland vs webster
south point vs oak hill
river valley vs waverly
rock hill vs valley
coal grove vs nw

not sure what you would do with the left over teams.

I think that the ovc should in invite portsmouth now, with the sure collapse of the seoal it would be a great fit with river valley leaving, peake vs portsmouth 2 times a year wow

The Chef finds it interesting Piketon would leave the SOC to join SVC way back then when most of the games were against those big and growing Pickaway county schools and Paint Valley which believe had more students then but not sure. Of course gas costs were a non factor then. Maybe it had to do with Piketon's enrollment matched better with Logan Elm and Laurelville due to Piketon's enrollment having grown so much with the A Plant influx but that maybe a stretch. Anyone out there from the Village know the real reason? The Chef saw where Piketon was AA during that era playing big schools in the tournaments. Kind of mystery. The Chef doesn't want to see the SVC change any. Like it just the way it is as Eagles73 says. Plus latest enrollments look like they are down for most of the schools.

Most are talking SOCII, but what about Symmes Valley. They are way too far for schools like Eastern and Western. Too long of a drive for a conference game. I always thought Ironton St. Joe would be a great fit.